The party that says it wants a small government that doesn't mess with their lives and provides low taxes and everyone should take care of themselves screw other people, caring is for commies. But it has a christian side to it that messes the concept up a bit further giving the republican party pro-life ideals and other concepts that mess with people's lives (see the contradiction?).

The party where currently, political maneuvering > benefiting their constitutions.

But in a literal sense, if you are referring to the US political party, its one of the two major political parties in the country based on twin platforms of conservatism and classical liberalism, as opposed to democratic modern liberalism. They have a strong focus on individual rights above public goods and are highly expressive on the idea of a "True American."

They believe in smaller government compared to democrats. They believe private charities would do more to help the poor and needy than government social programs. They feel government social programs devolve into rackets that are used to run guilt-trips on voters to collect taxes, which are then spent foolishly on lavish pensions and benefits to government workers instead of going to the poor. They believe there is no system of checks and balances on government social programs to prevent this. They are upset that some extremely cynical democrats demagogue the issue by pretending it is a binary choice: either government helps the poor the needy, or it doesn't happen.

I think the crux of the difference in world view comes down to how to help the poor and needy. Democrats see only the binary choice. Republicans see three ways to help the poor.

I know Obama wants to project this image of being a positive guy, and says his enemy is cynicism. But, if you want to see a democrat get deeply, deeply cynical and negative, express the view that private charities can do as much or more to help the poor and needy than government social programs.

They believe in smaller government compared to democrats. They believe private charities would do more to help the poor and needy than government social programs. They feel government social programs devolve into rackets that are used to run guilt-trips on voters to collect taxes, which are then spent foolishly on lavish pensions and benefits to government workers instead of going to the poor. They believe there is no system of checks and balances on government social programs to prevent this. They are upset that some extremely cynical democrats demagogue the issue by pretending it is a binary choice: either government helps the poor the needy, or it doesn't happen.

I think the crux of the difference in world view comes down to how to help the poor and needy. Democrats see only the binary choice. Republicans see three ways to help the poor.

I'd say that might be closer to a conservative view. The Republican's have become more 'Rhino' in the last decade.

The party that says it wants a small government that doesn't mess with their lives and provides low taxes and everyone should take care of themselves screw other people, caring is for commies. But it has a christian side to it that messes the concept up a bit further giving the republican party pro-life ideals and other concepts that mess with people's lives (see the contradiction?).

I may not agree with republicans now, but they did some really good things in the past. Lincoln was a republican.

Yep, I may not agree with much of what their factions believe, but it was the Republicans who kept the Union together. Using Republican or Democrat is like using Conservative and Liberal. The words actually cover such a wide range of political, economic, and sociological, thinking. That its pretty much the same as calling someone "Latino."

Sir Robin, the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot.
Who had nearly fought the Dragon of Angnor.
Who had almost stood up to the vicious Chicken of Bristol.
And who had personally wet himself, at the Battle of Badon Hill.

I may not agree with republicans now, but they did some really good things in the past. Lincoln was a republican.

The Republicans in the 1800s were what falls under the modern day label of "liberal"; they flipped partially during the New Deal coalition, and it was completed with the Southern Strategy of the 1960s.